Friday, November 09, 2007

Times Change - Friday Rant

Same song, next verse.

When I was first married, we lived in a one bedroom apartment that rented for $75.00 a month. This was in the 60's. I was working at an Abstract company and pulling down all of $1.15 an hour. My salary paid all the bills: rent, utilities, groceries, gasoline, etc., etc. DJ was in law school and taught a Legal Bibliography class, which gave him spending money.

My job didn't provide health insurance, pension plan, life insurance or an annual bonus. I had no sick leave or personal leave, although I did get one week's vacation. But, we had enough money left over to go out to dinner a couple of Friday nights a month, and maybe a movie.

We weren't rich, but we weren't suffering, either, although one month we did have to cash in a bunch of Coke bottles in order to buy milk, bread and cigarettes. We lived across the street from a meat market and next door to a liquor store. All the conveniences.

By the time I was ready for retirement, I was making $11-$12 per hour, with all the perks, health insurance, pension plan, savings plan, sick leave, life insurance, sickness and accident insurance and our annual bonus was a turkey at Christmas.

Sounds pretty good? Well, I was barely scraping by, but at least it prepared me for an inadequate social security check. And, I wasn't the only one. The 80's nearly did us in. Remember? High inflation? Reaganomics? Morning in America? The old boy did some real damage, smiling and doddering all the while.

Now, thanks to our politicians, our manufacturing base is gone. and the national mantra has become, "You want fries with that?" or "Welcome to Wal-Mart".

Congratulations, voters. You've swallowed the propaganda, hook, line and sinker. We always want to blame Congress or the President, but, as wrong-headed as their policies may be, we have allowed them to flourish.

Time to put a stop to it.

15 comments:

Chancy said...

Betty, You sure spoke the truth in this post. I do not understand how our government gets by with stiffing the middle class and catering to the wealthy.

kenju said...

Chancy, they get by with it because they ARE the wealthy, and they make sure it happens.

Peggy said...

I really feel bad for you and the elder population who will only just get by after working so hard their entire lives. I also know that it will be my turn in 20 years time.

katy said...

That just made me remember my first job of £10 a week in 1977 working for a private childrens nursery! the 2 ladies who owned were basically slave drivers!
yep the wealthy always come out on top.

savannah said...

amen, sister!

Anonymous said...

Well said, Betty. I remember harassing my mother about voting for Reagan, but she just couldn't see it. At least my vote canceled hers. Many times.

Anonymous said...

Betty,

It's the old Golden Rule, all right:

"HE WHO HAS THE GOLD,RULES."

Annie said...

Yes, it is called a "service society" but there is really disservice to the people going on.

CarmenSinCity said...

$75 a month???? NICE!

John Snelson said...

Too right Sport ... it's the same down here ... some cynics say we're the 53rd State ... our Prime Minister is such a disciple of George Bush, it is embarrassing.

Nevermind, what you say is right - we voted these charlies in ... but guess what, in 2 weeks time we are going to vote the bastards out. I have no doubt that you will do the same with the Republicans .. and Good Riddance !

Galla Creek said...

hey, sometimes I wonder how those little ones working at Mcds make it today. pay the rent, buy food.
I know it is very difficult.

Joy Des Jardins said...

Your post has riled up feelings that come to the surface every so often...when I let them....but have felt for a very long time under our present 'disaster' we call a government. How healthy is it for the majority of this country to constantly feel angry, frustrated, rejected, helpless, duped, overlooked, overwhelmed, and frightened? Shameful.

Maya's Granny said...

I'll never understand the American voter. The politicians we vote in never do the people any good; they all belong to the rich. It drives me nuts.

Anonymous said...

Betty, you hit the nail on the head.

Kay Dennison said...

Damn right. And looking at our choices in '08 I don't see it getting better. When we see the idiots ignoring the Constitution on one hand and telling me that they're gonna make it all better I get fightin' mad.